Introduction:
This small and sturdy looking dog is a long-term resident of the country of Cuba. It is believed to have originated from the western Mediterranean regions and made its way to the South Americas aboard trade ships. Havanese is of the family breed of the Bichon type dogs. As historical events evolved, the old species of the Havanese dogs became extinct in Cuba but some of them can be traced in other parts of the world such as Europe. It was mainly considered as a lapdog to provide comfort and company to its owner.

Characteristics:
It is a small dog with a height of about 8 – 11 inches and weighing in at about 4 – 7 Kgs at maturity. The dog is generally furry with long curly and silky hair. This gives it a tender feel to touch which is likely one of the reasons for being the most preferred lapdog. Its hair extends to cover its face, and its dark eyes seem to be hiding behind the long hair. It has a black nose that stands out from its light colored hair. Its ears are highly placed on the head, and they drop down to the cheeks without touching the face. The tail is highly placed sticking up with a slight fold and covered-up with dense, silky hair. It appears to be a long dog whereby its length supersedes its height.

Personality:
The dog is friendly in nature. It loves the company of people at all times and it is even advisable to keep the dog in a place where there will be a consistent presence of people. It is very playful and energetic and you will never miss a hearty smile from its well-formed black lips. They are easy to train especially when at a young age. They are highly intelligent dogs and are able to gauge emotions and will tend to show affection of love. They are very loyal dogs that get very attached to their owner. This makes them to be easily accepted into the family and considered as one of the members.

Care and Health:
The Havanese are fairly healthy and stout dogs with few medical concerns. The most common ailments they are prone to suffer are eye complications, heart disease, liver disorder and sometimes skin dryness. They generally have a life expectancy of 14 – 16 years which is dependent on various factors for the dog to attain.
Proper care is essential for the Havanese dog as any other living creature. It is important to attend to both their emotional and physical needs. Always ensure that they are well fed, cleaned and properly groomed as follows:

Feeding:
Havanese is an energetic animal hence will require a proper nutritious diet to keep them strong. They require food rich in animal protein and also complex carbohydrates. Since they have a fairly small stomach, it is important to ensure their diet has the right balance and is loaded with all the essential nutrients.

Grooming:
Havanese dogs come in a variety of colors that range from white to brown to gray and even sported though it is said that they were originally white. Their hair is fairly long and thick but soft and curly. It is important to constantly maintain its hair by regularly combing it to prevent entanglement. Normally the hair is not cut but for ease of maintenance some slight trimming can be done.

With family and other pets:
The Havanese is a very friendly and playful dog. It will blend in easily in the family by interacting with both young and old. It is playful when it comes to children and a gentle and loving companion when it comes to the older people.